Chapter 2: Perception and the communication process and intrapersonal communication

self-expectations

Goals you set for yourself; how you believe you ought to behave and what you ought to accomplish

value

Good-bad. An enduring concept of good and bad or right and wrong. (hardest to change)

5. Define intrapersonal communication.

How you take in stimuli in the environment or information and make sense of it; also, thoughts and ideas that you say to yourself.

3. What is the difference between indirect and direct perception checking and when it is appropriate to use each?

Indirect perception checking: Using your own perceptual abilities to seek additional information to confirm or refute your interpretations of someone's behavior. Direct perception checking: Asking someone else whether your interpretations of what you perceive are correct.

attitude

Likes-dislikes. A learned predisposition to respond to a person, object, or idea in a favorable or unfavorable way. (likely to change)

social comparisons

Process of comparing oneself to others to measure one's worth.

perception checking summary

Self-check involves reflecting on one's behavior by asking questions and thinking critically. Another checking procedure is evaluating understanding and interest while communication occurs. During and after communication, stating an observation about behavior, offering two possible reasons for the behavior, and then requesting clarification about the behavior will ensure there are no misconceived perceptions about the message. Modeling effective perception-checking procedures helps eliminate false perceptions and improve communication.

6. How might one engage in positive self-talk?

Self-talk: inner speech; communication with the self. If you want positive results, talk positively to yourself. If you are self-critical and negative, you may set yourself up for failure. Rephrase doubts and negative thoughts into positive, uplifting encouragement.

self-awareness

The capacity to observe and reflect on one's own mental states.

material self

The element of the self reflected in all the tangible things you own: your body, your possessions, your home.

self-concept clarity

The extent to which beliefs about oneself are clearly and confidently identified and stable over time.

self-reflexiveness

The human ability to think about what you are doing while you are doing it.

self-fulfilling prophecy

The notion that predictions about one's future are likely to come true because one believes that they will come true.

reframing

The process of redefining events and experiences from a different point of view.

self

The sum of who you are as a person; your central inner force.

visualize

The technique of imagining that you are performing a particular task in a certain way; a method of enhancing self-esteem

perception checking process

There are two sides to the perception checking process: self check and other check -improving communication: Each perception check can empower more effective communication. Understanding how our own behavior can be perceived is crucial to ensuring that we are projecting the message we intend to project and that the receiver is clear on what we are communicating. -eliminating false perceptions: Checking in with others about their behavior helps to limit inaccurate perceptions that can lead to ineffective and even dysfunctional communication. -modeling effective communication: Checking in with others also helps to foster collaboration and models competent communication for others. This is the true example of the competent communicator: one that models effective communication for others.

indirect perception checking

Using your own perceptual abilities to seek additional information to confirm or refute your interpretations of someone's behavior.

self-esteem

Your assessment of your worth or value as reflected in your perception of such things as your skills, abilities, talents, and appearance.

social self

Your concept of self as developed through your personal, social interactions with others.

spiritual self

Your concept of self based on your beliefs and your sense of who you are in relationship to other forces in the universe; also includes your thoughts and introspections about your values and moral standards.

self-concept

Your interior identity or subjective description of who you think you are.

self-image

Your view of yourself in a particular situation or circumstance.

ascribed identity

an identity assigned to you by others

avowed identity

an identity you assign to yourself and portray

Narcissism

an inflated view of self, especially about one's own power and importance

interpretation

attaching meaning to what is attended to, selected, and organized

Perception process influences

environment, culture, expectations, experiences, observations, stereotypes, media, influences, chemicals, relationships, filters

Factors affecting self-esteem

gender, social comparisons, self-expectations, and the self-fulfilling prophecy

4. Differentiate self-concept and self-esteem.

self-concept=description of who you are; visualizing one's self; objective assessment of the self self-esteem=evaluation of who you are; subjective Capability and competence stem from your self-concept, whereas self-esteem is based on whether or not you view yourself as capable and competent. Self-concept is objective. It is how you determine how you will act out your role. In contrast, self-esteem is subjective. It evaluates, or measures, how you feel about yourself in relation to your role. People with high self-esteem view themselves as competent and capable in their role. While the self-concept pertains to one's enduring identity, self-esteem pertains more to one's current state of mind or view of self.

selection

the act of choosing specific stimuli in you environment to focus on

attention

the act of perceiving stimuli in your environment

perception

the arousal of any of your senses. Perception is your understanding and truth. It is how you make sense of what is happening. Perception is influential to the communication process, because how we act or react, or communicate or interact, is the result of perception.

closure

the perceptual process of filling in missing information

belief

true-false. The way in which you structure your understanding of reality—what is true and what is false.

Five elements of perception process

1. Stimulation: We are all drawn to stimuli, and these stimuli are different for each one of us. There is a saying: what gets your attention, gets you. This implies that, if the stimuli attract you, then you will have a reaction to them. For example, because your friend is not spending time with you, you are bothered. The situation has your attention. 2. Organization: Once stimuli have gotten your attention, you must decide what to do with this information or how to organize it. Where does it go? Picture having file cabinets in our brains and trying to keep all of the information in order. These file cabinets have drawers for experiences, categories, or schemas, such as personalities and characteristics, or reels. These are also known as scripts, or how you believe an order of events will be. This stage is like putting the file labels on the file folders. To continue with our example: your friend is not spending time with you, and this got your attention. Now, you must "file" that behavior somewhere. You begin to open your file drawers and determine where to place this information. 3. Interpretation: Also known as the evaluation stage, we now evaluate this information. For example, when people do not engage in a relationship, they are usually either mad or too busy. 4. Memory: This is the stage where you actually file information and close the drawer. This information can be accessed when necessary to help you interpret future information. Keep in mind that each stage is personally directed, so it makes sense that each element is subjective. For example, in the file drawer for mad people, you have memories filed. This might include different experiences with mad people, reactions, examples, and outcomes. 5. Recall: At some point in the future, it is likely you will recall this information to help you interpret the current situation. Be mindful that the recollection of this information is much more subjective than objective. For example, imagine that you are considering how to react to, or communicate with, your friend, and you go to that file drawer to recall your experiences with mad people. These experiences will guide your reactions, or communication. Also, pretend that the last time you confronted a friend about your feelings regarding her behavior, she got defensive. A big conflict ensued that ultimately resulted in harsh words, hurt feelings, and the end of the friendship.

1. What are the stages of perception? How does understanding that perceptions vary help us better understand interactions, relationships, and messages around us?

1. Unconscious incompetence. We are unaware of our own incompetence. We don't know what we don't know. 2. Conscious incompetence. At this level, we become aware or conscious that we are not competent; we know what we don't know. 3. Conscious competence. We are aware that we know or can do something, but it has not yet become an integrated skill or habit. 4. Unconscious competence. At this level, skills become second nature. We know or can do something but don't have to concentrate to be able to act on that knowledge or draw on that skill.

shaping self-concept

1. others perceptions: How do others view you? This is also known as reflective appraisals, because you consider the views provided by others. The others being significant others, such as partners, family, friends, parents, and so forth. What is their perception of you? What do they tell you? Example: "Tony, you are a smart and resourceful student!" This perception of you begins to shape your own thoughts about your role as student. 2. comparisons with others: Comparing ourselves with others is common and normal. Also known as social comparison, we get a sense of who we are by evaluating others. Example: "Jenny received a B on the exam; I received an A on the exam. Therefore, I am a smart student; smarter than other students." 3. self-interpretation: How we assess our own behaviors or personality is called self-interpretation. It takes place when we reflect on our behaviors, actions, and personal traits. Example: Stan believes that stealing is wrong. As a student he once copied his friend's paper and submitted it as his own. Reflecting on this behavior (copying the paper) and reflecting on his beliefs (stealing is wrong), Stan interprets that he was wrong; he went against how he believes he should act. 4. cultural norms and expectations: Culture is not just ethnicity or origin; it can include associations such as family, religion, gender, group membership, and so forth. One of the most influential cultural norms and expectations are gender roles—how a man or woman should behave. Example: American women are expected to behave differently than Mexican women. The norm for Italian males is different than the norm for Indian males. An even simpler example often experienced in the United States is that boys are expected to be strong (limited expression of emotion) and girls are expected to be sensitive (emotionally expressive).

gender

A cultural construction that includes one's biological sex (male or female), psychological characteristics (femininity, masculinity, androgyny), attitudes about the sexes, and sexual orientation.

symbolic self-awareness

A unique human ability to develop and communicate a representation of oneself to others through language.

direct perception checking

Asking someone else whether your interpretations of what you perceive are correct.

2. What are three strategies for improving your ability to form accurate perceptions?

Attention and Selection The first stage in the perception process, in which we perceive stimuli and choose which ones to focus our awareness on Watching TV in your room while hearing giggling and laughter, and ignoring the TV show to eavesdrop on the giggler Organization The second stage in the perception process, in which we structure stimuli into convenient and efficient patterns Realizing that the laughter is coming from your younger sister, who's on the phone Interpretation The final stage in the perception process, in which we assign meaning to what we have perceived Deciding that your sister is talking on the phone to her boyfriend, because she only laughs like that when she talks to him

How the self-concept develops

Communication with Others The self-concept develops as we communicate with others, receive their feedback, make sense out of it, and internalize or reject all or part of it. Association with Groups We develop our self-concept partly because of and through our identification with groups or organizations. Assumed Roles The self-concept is affected by roles we assume, such as son or daughter, employee, parent, spouse, or student. Self-Labels The terms we use to describe our attitudes, beliefs, values, and actions play a role in shaping the self-concept.

organization

Converting information into convenient, understandable, and efficient patterns that allow us to make sense of what we have observed.